Dornenreich -official-

DORNENREICH - intense - mystic - timeless Founded in 1996, Dornenreich's trademarks for the past fourteen years have been uniquely intense music, expressive German lyrics and a charismatic stage presence. After gaining a reputation as an individualistic, avant-garde Black Metal act with their first two albums "Nicht um zu sterben" (1997) and "Bitter ist's, dem Tod zu dienen" (1999) that were released via CCP Records, Dornenreich published their third album "Her von welken Nächten" via Prophecy Productions in 2001. Praised by the most important music magazines as a "milestone of Metal", this album gained the highest scores (Hammer 7/7; Legacy 15/15; Sonic Seducer 10/10) and climbed to the number one slot in the charts of Legacy magazine. It also lead Dornenreich to a 50 date tour across Europe, together with bands as diverse as Graveworm, Marduk, Darkwell, Vintersorg, Mayhem, Red Harvest, Tenhi, and Of the Wand and the Moon. In 2002, Dornenreich performed two celebrated concerts at the Wacken Open Air and the With Full Force festival. In 2005, the band released their fourth album, "Hexenwind". Described in an assortment of terms by the international press, ranging from 'Black Metal', 'Gothic Rock' and 'Dark Pop' to 'Industrial' and 'Neofolk', "Hexenwind" once again has proved Dornenreich's unique ability to transcend the borders of genres ("Hexenwind" - Orkus 9,5/10; Legacy 15/15). In 2006, Dornenreich released their fifth album "Durch den Traum" (ORKUS 10/10; HAMMER 6/7), and, after a hiatus of five years, they returned to the stage and played sold-out shows with a set-up for acoustic guitar, violin, percussion, and voice. In this live set-up, Dornenreich blended selections from their previous albums with tracks never heard before, resulting in an intense, powerful and intimate whole. In 2007 Dornenreich were a celebrated double-concert-act of the Wave-Gotik-Treffen, delivered a headliner-show at the Summerbreeze-Festival, played numerous club-shows in Germany, Austria and Switzerland and headlined a tour throughout Germany with the support-bands Neun Welten and Elane. In May 2008 the sixth studioalbum "In Luft geritzt" ("Carved in air") - unique in its organic passion and intensity - was released. Based on acoustic sources (acoustic guitar, violin, percussion and voice) exclusively, Dornenreich invite to an incomparable dance of Eros and Thanatos. Dornenreich describe their new album as "Intense - Mystic - Timeless" and thus hint on what genreterms such as "Acoustic Black Metal", "Ambient Folk", "Acoustic Avantgarde" and "Extreme Classical Music" fail to get across: the feeling that no word can follow. Subsequently, Dornenreich performed numerous acoustic concerts supporting Faun, and in autumn 2008, they made yet another trip through Europe in their unplugged version, being supported by Devon Graves (ex-Psychotic Waltz, Deadsoul Tribe). March 2009 saw Dornenreich touring through Europe's bigger cities with their co-headliners Agalloch and support act Mely. In September 2009, Dornenreich's first DVD "Nachtreisen" was released, documenting both the acoustic and intimate and the metallic and ecstatic side of the band's concerts. To celebrate this release, Dornenreich embarked on their "Nachtreisen" headlining tour of Germany in September 2009, joined by Ahab and Fjoergyn, followed by further performances in Austria and Switzerland. To conclude their live activities promoting "Nachtreisen," Dornenreich joined the 2010 edition of the Paganfest (including among others Finntroll and Eluveitie), travelling through Europe in 24 days in February and March. In May 2010, Dornenreich played at the Metalfest Open Airs in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. After their performance at Metalcamp, the band went into seclusion in July 2010 to record their new album "Flammentriebe”. The album was released in February 2011 and is characterized by its passionate, multi-facetted, and gripping nature: a unique and blazing mixture of voices, violins, guitars, and drums. It entered the German Media Control Charts at #58 and was the band’s fundament for three tours through Europe. In the years 2012 and 2013 Dornenreich cut themselves off from most public activities intentionally to elaborate their eight studioalbum “Freiheit”. During that time they only played few selected shows. Especially the “Mystic Places Tour” is worth to be mentioned as Dornenreich headed out to some very inspiring places on this tour to play some of their well-known acoustic concerts in churches and other special and uplifting locations. On the 2nd of May 2014 - in their 18th year of existence -, Dornenreich release their eighth studio record "Freiheit". What appears to be a logical progression from the acoustic album "In Luft geritzt" (2008) turns out to be the Austrians' most versatile and courageous work to date. Confidently citing genres such as (Neo) Folk, Black Metal, Ambient, Neoclassical, Singer-Songwriter and even Flamenco/World Music, Dornenreich, consciously dodge categorisation and create an album that, in the end, could not have come from any other band than themselves. "Freiheit" is both a climactic and quintessential release, yet also marks a period of change and transition, for as already pointed out by Eviga, it will remain the group's last studio album for a longer time. The album entered the German Media Control Charts at #56 - even higher than “Flammentriebe” did back in 2011. The release of the album was accompanied by a tour through the German speaking territories of central Europe. life and passion